Electric controller.



No. 690,108] Patented Dec. 3|,196l.

' G.v H. HILL. ELECTRIC CONTROLLER.

(Application fil ed Aug. 5, 1901.)

greets-Sheet L (No Model.)

ATTORNEY No. 690,!08. Patented Dec. 3|, MN.

I G. H. HILL. Y "ELECTRIC conTnoLLEn,

' (Application filed Aug. 6, 1901.) v (No Model.) 3 Sheets-S haet 2.

WITNESSES: INVENTOR I Geo/:96

' Patented Dec. 3|, l90l.

a. H'. HILL. ELECTRIC CONTROLLER.

(Application filed Aug. 5, 1901.)

(No Model.) 3 Sheets$heet 3.

WIINESSES: mvamon- ATTORNEY yours PE ERs co. Pnoraumou WASHINGTON, u. c.

U IT STATES PATEN EicE.

GEORGE H. HILL, OF GLENRIDGE, NEW' JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO SPRAGUE ELECTRICCOMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NENV JERSEY.

ELECTRIC CONTROLLER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 690,108, dated December31, 1901.

Application filed August 5 1901- Serial No. 70,871. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern/.- 1

Be it known that I, GEORGE H. I-IILL,'a citizen of the United States,residing at Glenridge, Essex county, New Jersey, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Electric Controllers, of which thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to electrical controlling apparatus.

Among the objects of my invention are simplicity, economy, anddurability of construction and ease and effectiveness of operation.

One important feature of my invent-ion is that the controller may beoperated from a distance. operated by electricity, its use is notconfined to electrical apparatus, since it may be used to advantage inconnection with apparatus in other arts. p

In the accompanying drawings I have shown a preferred embodiment ofmy'invention, although it is obvious that the same is susceptible of avariety of modifications.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved controller.Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the same, partly in section. Fig. 3 is adetail sectional view. Figs. 4, 5, and 6 are diagrammatic views ofmodified forms of circuits which may be employed to operate thecontroller.

In the drawings, Ais a'solenoid. B. is a plunger adapted to Work in saidsolenoid. The plunger B is preferably hollow.

D is a, spring-for example,a coil-springwhich may be secured at one endto a suitable anchorage D and at the other end to the planger B,preferably in the manner shown. EE' are contacts carried by the plungerB and movable therewith. r

C C are contact-plates over which the contacts E E sweep as the plungermoves in or out of the solenoid.

g The normal position of the parts is shown in Figs. 1 and 2, in whichthe solenoid A is practically deenergized and the plunger B and itsfittings are in their lowermost position, the spring D being stretchedand under its highest operative tension. As soon as the solenoid isenergized it elevates the plunger B, thereby contracting the spring D,lessen- Although the controller is itself ing the tension therein andthe lifting tendency thereof. The lessening of the lifting tendency ofthe spring B is compensated by ness of the'solenoid as the plunger;projects more and more into said solenoid. Asa consequence these twoforces tending to elevate the plunger apply a lifting power which issubstantially uniform throughout the entire upward excursionofsaidplunger.

By preference a compression-space or aircushion is provided-for example,within the solenoid so that the speed of movement of the plunger may beregulated. Ifdesirable, an adjustable air-vent F may be provided forsaid cushioning-chamber.

B is a packing which may he provided between the plunger B and the wallof the airchamber, which packing may also perform the function of acentering means for the proper guidance of said plunger. I

In Fig. 4 I have shown a diagrammatic troller may be operated. In thissystem, G is a switch. 1 2 are contact-points within the range of theswitch G. 3 is a Wire leading from the contact 1 to the solenoid. 4 is aresistance located between contact 2 and the wire 3. 5 and 6 areterminals leading from the line-wire to the solenoid A and to the switchG, respectively. 7 and 8 are wires in the motor-circuit. Between thewires 7 and 8 are a succession of resistances 9 9 9, which resistancesare connected to the aforesaid contact-plates O 0. Any number of theseresistances may be cut into or out of the motor-circuit by the contactsE E. v

To operate the controller by the system illustrated in Fig. 4:, theoperator may throw the switch Gfrom the position shown therein (in whichthe controller-circuit is open) to contact-point 1, in which positionthe full value of the current passes through the solenoid, energizingthe same and drawing in the plunger B, incidentally cutting out one ormore of the motor-circuit resistances. 9 9. WVhen the desired number ofresistances 9 have been cut in, the operator throws the switchfromcontact-point 1 to contact-point 2, in which position the resistance4 is introthe gradually-increased magnetic attractive- View of one ofthe systems by which the'conby the introduction of resistance 16.

duced into the controller-circuit. The effect of introducing theresistance 4 into the controller-circuit is to reduce the value of thecurrent through the solenoid to an extent sufficient to check and floatthe plunger at whatever position it happens to be in at that time. Theoperator may by shifting the switch from the position shown to contact1, contact 2, or vice versa, raise or lower the plunger 13 and. stop itat any desired point. The position of the plunger may be determined bythe operator in any desired way-for example, by a separate mechanical orelectrical indicator or by the exercise of judgment and practice.

In Fig. 5 another system by which the controller may be operated isshown, in which G is a switch in the controller-circuit. 11, 12, and 13are contact-points within the range of the switch G. 111 121 131 arecontact-plates in the controller-circuit. 14 is a resistance between thecontact-point 1'1 and the contactplate 111. 15 is a resistance betweenthe contact-point 12 and the contact-plate 121. 16 is a resistancebetween the contact-point 13 and the contact-plate 131. 7 and 8 arewires in the motor-circuit. 9 9 are resistances between the wires 7 and8, which resistances may be successively cut in or out by the contact Ecarried by the plunger. E is a contact carried by the plunger andadapted to sweep across the contact-plates 110, 111, 121, and 131. 5 and6 are terminals leading from the line-wire to the solenoid and theswitch G, respectively. In the position shown in Fig. 5 the solenoid ispractically denergized.

To operate the controller by the system illustrated in Fig. 5, theoperator may throw the switch G from the position shown to thecontact-point 11, in which position the full value of the current passesthrough the solenoid, energizing the same, elevating the plunger B untilthe contact E leaves the contactplate 110 and engages contact-plate111,whereupon the resistance 14 is introduced. The pres ence of theresistance 14 in the controller-circuit reduces the value of the currentthrough the solenoid suflicient to check and float the plunger at thispoint, wherein the said con- .tactE engages said contact-plate 111. Whenthe switch G is moved to cover the contact 11 and 12, the current againflows at its full value through the solenoid,thereby elevating theplunger until the contact E leaves the contact-plate 111 and engagescontact 121, thus introducing in the controller-circuit the resistance15, which again reduces the value of the current through the solenoidsuificient to check and float the plunger at a point where the contact Ewill engage said contactplate 121. To swing the switch G into such aposition that it covers contacts 11, 12, and 13 will cause the currentto again flow at its full value through the solenoid, again elevatingthe plunger until the contact E leaves the contact-plate 121 and engagescontact-plate 131, in which position it is checked and held It isobvious that the nu mberof contact-plates and resistances in thecontroller-circuit may be varied as desired, whereby the number ofstopping-points may be correspondingly varied. By the employment of thissystem for operating the controller the position of the plunger isarbitrarily determined by the position of the switch G.

In Fig. 6 I have shown another system by which the controller may beoperated. In this system, G is a switch. 21 22 23 24 are contact-pointswithin the range of switch G 25 is a wire leading from contact-point 24to contact-plate 26. E is a contact carried by the plungerB or anextension therefrom. 27, 28, 29, and 30 are contact-plates correspondingto contact-plate 26. 31 is a wire leading from the contact E to thesolenoid A. 5 and 6 are wires leading from the line-wire to the solenoidA and to the switch G respectively. 31 32 33 are resistances between thecontact-points 21, 22, 23, and 24. 34 is aresistauce between wire 25 andcontact-plate 27. 35 is a resistance between contact-plate 27 andcontact-plate 28. 36 is a resistance between contact -plates 28 and 29.37 is a resistance between contact-plates 29 and 30. 7 and 8 are wiresin the motor-circuit. 9 9 9 are resistances between the wires 7 and 8,said resistances having suitable contactplates which may be bridged by acontact E carried by the plunger B or an extension therefrom, so that bythe position thereof any desired number of resistances 9 may beintroduced or cut out of the motor-circuit. The position of the plungerB is determined in this case as follows: The resistances 31 to 37,inclusive, are of equal value and such that when any three or less ofthem are in series with the solenoid A the value of the current thereinwill be suiiicient to draw in the plunger, thereby elevating the same.The presence of four of the resistances in series with the solenoid willreduce the value of the current to an extent sufficient to check andfloat the plunger at any given point. The presence of five of theresistances in series with the solenoid will reduce the value of thecurrent passing through the solenoid still further and to an extentsufficient to permit the plunger to drop. With this understanding it isclear that when the switch G is moved to contact-point 21 the solenoidwill be energized and the plunger lifted until the contact E leavescontact-plate 26 and engages with contact-plate 27, at which elevationit will be checked by reason of the introduction of resistance 34 inaddition to the three resistances 31 32 33. If the switch G is movedfrom contact 21 to contact 22, the resistance 31 is cut out, leavingonly three resistances in series with the solenoid A, whereupon thevalue of the current therein is sufficient to Moving the switch G fromcontact-point 22 to contact-point 23 produces the same effect. Theresistance 32 is out out by the manual act of shifting the switch, andthe resistance 36 is introduced by the elevation of the plunger B. Thesame effect is produced by shifting the switch G from contact-point 23to contact-point 24, the resistance 33 being cutout by the manual actand the resistance 37 being cut in by the upward movement of the plunger13. In this manner the plunger may be raised step by step to the limitof its upward excursion, or it may be raised by one movement to thelimit of its upward excursion bymoving the switch from the positionshown in Fig. 6 directly to contact-point 24. To lower the plunger 13,the switch may be moved from contact-point 24 to contact-point 23, thusmomentarily introducing a fifth resistance 33, whereupon the value ofthe current through solenoid A is reduced to such an extent that theplunger drops, cutting out the resistance 37; but the down ward movementof the plunger is checked, so that contact-point E will remain at plate29 until the switch G is moved off contact-point 23. The same effect isproduced by moving switch G from contact-point 23 to contact-point 22,said movement introducing a fifth resistance 32, which cuts down thevalue of the current until the plunger shall .drop, so as to bring thecontact E into engagement with contactplate 28. By this system theoperator may cause the plunger B to move upward or downward at will, theelevation of the plunger being definitely fixed by the position of theswitch G The position of the plunger B determines the position of thecontact E and consequently determines the number of resistances in themotor-circuit '7 8.

Manifestly many modifications may be made in the foregoing systems bywhich the controller is operated. In fact, it is possible to deviseother circuit systems which might be employed with satisfactory results.It should be understood, therefore, that I do not intend to limit thatportion of my invention relating, broadly, to the employment of what Ichoose to term a floating solenoid to use with a particular form ofcircuit system, excepting as certain claims may include specifically theuse of said floating solenoid with a particular form of circuit.

As before suggested, the mechanical construction of the controller bywhich the forces therein are equalized or balanced during the 7operation of lifting or lowering. the plunger is susceptible of avariety of changes.

should therefore be understood that the substitu tion ofmechanically-equivalent features or variations in the arrangement of theparts to produce substantially thesame effect are well within the spiritand scope of my invention.

What I claim is 1. A controller comprising an electric circuit, asolenoid-magnet, a plunger adapted to coact therewith, .means tocompensate the variable degree of the magnetic attractiveness of saidsolenoid to elfect a substantial uniformity in the force applied to saidplunger in its various positions, and means to vary the value of thecurrent in the solenoid to move or check the plunger at any desiredposition.

2. A controller comprising an electric circuit, a solenoid-magnet, aplunger adapted to coact therewith, means to compensate the variabledegree of the magnetic attractiveness of said solenoid to effect asubstantial uniformity in the force applied to said plunger in itsvarious positions, and resistance to vary the value of the current inthe solenoid to check and float the plunger at any desired position.

3. A controller comprising an electric circuit, a solenoid-magnet, aplunger adapted to coact therewith, means to compensate the varyingdegree of magnetic attractiveness of said solenoid to efiect asubstantial uniformity in the force applied to said plunger in itsvarious positions, and means to vary the current in the solenoid to moveor check one of said parts relatively to the other at any desiredposition.

4. A device of the character described, comprising, an electric circuit,a solenoid magnet, a plunger, one of said parts being movable relativelyto the other, and manuallyapplied. means to check the movement of saidpart at varying points relatively to the other without interrupting thecurrent through said solenoid.

5. A device of the character described com- GEORGE H. HILL.

Witnesses:

R. C. MITCHELL, L. VREELAND.

